scallop
Contributor
Anyone have any experience with Hawks Cay resort and or their house dive shop Dive Duck Key?
Dive Duck Key/Hawks Cay resort
- Thread starter scallop
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The resort is excellent! No experience with their dive operation, as I usually go to Looe Key to dive when I am that far south in the Keys.
dwatts
Contributor
I stayed at Tranquility Bay (just a short drive away). We visited Hawks Cay Resort one day. Hawks Cay looked VERY nice....but it was a very busy resort as well. It is big with lots to do.
We chose Tranquility Bay because we wanted something quieter. For our needs we would go back to Tranquility Bay...but if you prefer a busy place with lots to do then Hawks Cay certainly looked very nice.
We chose Tranquility Bay because we wanted something quieter. For our needs we would go back to Tranquility Bay...but if you prefer a busy place with lots to do then Hawks Cay certainly looked very nice.
JesperS
Contributor
As others, I've only seen and looked at prices, and it looks like a great place. We usually rent a house a few miles further south for a week.
Apparently the on-site dive shop used to be called Tilden's, which is a big name there.
I did find this thread linked at the bottom of the page, it contains a little more info, including a couple of posts by the dive-shop: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/336828-hawks-cay-resort.html
jpritt1
New
I dive everyday with the dive shop (Dive Duck Key) at Hawks Cay Resort. I dont want to mislead you, I dive with them everyday because I am one of their dive instructors on staff. But I have been teaching in the Keys for over 8 years now and there is no other dive shop I would work for. Dive Duck Key has a slow but comfortable boat, we run an organized (which is a surprisingly less common trait than you would expect!) and safe operation. But my favorite part of this shop is its location- we are 10 miles from any other dive shop in the Keys. And because of time and fuel prices, the other dive shops dont run out to our reefs. We have all the privacy we want. Our reefs are part of the same reef line as all the reefs you read about in Key Largo and Marathon (meaning the same 1200 species of tropical fish, same vibrantly colored coral, same active kritters) but without the crowds and crowds of divers and snorkelers you get when you dive off the bigger, more accessible islands. Our reefs are in great shape because they dont get pounded by visitors all day every day.
Hawks Cay Resort was very expensive, especially right after they poured a bunch of well-spent money into a fabulous remodeling job. Their prices have come down some since then, and the place does look fantastic, not too mention there is a LOT more to do at this resort than at a plain old hotel or motel in the Keys. The Fall is a cheaper time of year to visit, and if you are active or retired military, emergency personnel, or law enforcement- you get fantastic rates with their HEROES program. Definitely worth checking out! You dont have to be a Hawks Cay guest in order to dive with us, so if you decide to stay elsewhere- still give us a call....
Dont take my word on the diving however- checkout our reviews online! Trip advisor has been frequented by many of our customers and they say it all....
Good luck with where ever you decide to vacation!
Hawks Cay Resort was very expensive, especially right after they poured a bunch of well-spent money into a fabulous remodeling job. Their prices have come down some since then, and the place does look fantastic, not too mention there is a LOT more to do at this resort than at a plain old hotel or motel in the Keys. The Fall is a cheaper time of year to visit, and if you are active or retired military, emergency personnel, or law enforcement- you get fantastic rates with their HEROES program. Definitely worth checking out! You dont have to be a Hawks Cay guest in order to dive with us, so if you decide to stay elsewhere- still give us a call....
Dont take my word on the diving however- checkout our reviews online! Trip advisor has been frequented by many of our customers and they say it all....
Good luck with where ever you decide to vacation!
brucetrinity
Contributor
Stayed in one of the condos with family .... awesome place. As for the diving, the shop is efficient and pretty typical of the Keys ... I.E., no problems. Reefs are in good shape.
turtlemoye
Registered
I dove with Dive Duck Key a few days ago and had a great experience. The captain(who is also the owner) escorted 2 divers off of the boat that hadn't dove in over 7 years. I'm not sure how they were allowed on in the first place but I'm glad the captain made the call and it showed me the divers safety and not profit were important.
I was also one of the very few divers who wasn't part of a group of disabled divers that were on the boat. There were 5-6 divers who had no use of their legs who were part of a large national group and the staff was very accommodating and had extra staff to help them get geared up, on and off the boat and be their guides underwater. I must admit at first I was concerned that this would in some way limit my dives or choices of locations but myself and a newly certified diver had our own DM (Wade) and everyone on the boat had a great time.
FYI, the owner and Captain Joe Hall is in the process of purchasing Tilden's Dive Center in Marathon. From what I understand Dive Duck Key was originally operated by Tilden and Joe and his wife purchased that location years ago. I think he said he will take over Tilden's in November as Tilden will be retiring but they will be keeping the name.
I was also one of the very few divers who wasn't part of a group of disabled divers that were on the boat. There were 5-6 divers who had no use of their legs who were part of a large national group and the staff was very accommodating and had extra staff to help them get geared up, on and off the boat and be their guides underwater. I must admit at first I was concerned that this would in some way limit my dives or choices of locations but myself and a newly certified diver had our own DM (Wade) and everyone on the boat had a great time.
FYI, the owner and Captain Joe Hall is in the process of purchasing Tilden's Dive Center in Marathon. From what I understand Dive Duck Key was originally operated by Tilden and Joe and his wife purchased that location years ago. I think he said he will take over Tilden's in November as Tilden will be retiring but they will be keeping the name.
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scallop
Contributor
Thanks for all the responses. Definately on the "short list". Still trying to decide on they Keys again or St. Thomas for Christmas this year, decisions decisions!
JesperS
Contributor
When looking at weekly rentals, there can be some good deals at Hawk's Cay, and I may opt for that our next trip to the keys. Glad you had a good experience, and that the boat was a) willing to reject those two divers and b) were doing an outing for disabled divers, that's awesome.
Were they vets by any chance? I think there was an article posted....somewhere here on the boards, can't remember, about a disabled dive event coming up. DAN's Alert Diver mag also had an article on scuba therapy for wounded soldiers.
Were they vets by any chance? I think there was an article posted....somewhere here on the boards, can't remember, about a disabled dive event coming up. DAN's Alert Diver mag also had an article on scuba therapy for wounded soldiers.
turtlemoye
Registered
Jesper, while a few may have been vets that wasn't the core make up. The founder of the group was with them and I'm pretty sure he said they have over 2000 certified divers and were founded in 1981. Here's more info for anyone interested: Handicap Scuba Association
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